Contributed by Sumitha Shaanthinni Kishna, Assistant Director, with photos by Jul Indra Tofan, Administrative Assistant, Practitioners Affairs Division and LawCare Department
The Bar Council, Association of Islamic Banking Institutions Malaysia (“AIBIM”) and Advocates’ Association of Sarawak (“AAS”) jointly organised the “National Symposium on Islamic Banking and Finance 2014” (“Symposium”), which was held on 24 and 25 June 2014 in Sarawak. Lawyers from all over the country as well as legal counsel from banks, totalling 369 participants, attended the Symposium held at Hilton Kuching Hotel, Sarawak.
Due to the overwhelming response and the limited space, participants who were unable to attend the Symposium at the main ballroom, joined it via live streaming in a smaller room adjacent to the main ballroom.
The Symposium began with speeches by Dato’ Mohd Reza Shah Abdul Wahid, President of AIBIM and Leonard Shim, Chairman of AAS (Kuching Branch). The guest of honour, Bakarudin Ishak, Assistant Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia, delivered his keynote presentation entitled “Unleashing Value Proposition of Islamic Finance” and also took questions from the floor.
The speakers, Mohd Johan Lee Abdullah, Managing Partner of Messrs J Lee & Associates; and Assoc Prof Dr Rusni Hassan, Member, Shariah Advisory Council of Bank Negara Malaysia and Deputy Dean, Institute of Islamic Banking and Finance of the International Islamic University Malaysia, gave exemplary presentations.
The participants were actively engaged with the speakers, who were full of wit and zest, especially during the question–and–answer sessions.
The Bar Council Islamic Finance Committee thanks AIBIM and AAS for their assistance in organising a very successful event. We look forward to continuing this collaboration in the future.